Beyond Impact: Mending A Broken System

This gathering is not simply an event. It is a moment of collective reckoning and reflection, a space where we will confront the profound and lasting impact of our judicial system on youth and families. Together, we will look directly at the true cost of incarceration, the complexities of sentencing, and the heartbreaking reality of young people being charged and treated as adults.

Throughout the day, you will hear powerful lived experiences that remind us who is most affected by these decisions. You will witness poetry that speaks to survival and resilience. You will receive essential information from the ACLU about knowing your rights. You will learn from the Institute for Black Justice as they share critical findings from the Gideon Project.

This symposium is an opportunity to learn, to speak, to connect, and to take part in a united effort to pursue meaningful change. We cannot rebuild a broken system without the wisdom, compassion, and leadership of people like you. Your presence matters. Your perspective matters. Your commitment to justice matters.

About I.A.M.U.

We are a trauma-informed, BIPOC-led grassroots organization serving King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties. Our work centers young people ages eight through twenty-four who have survived significant trauma, including sexual exploitation, incarceration, gang involvement, and the foster care system. We walk alongside them with job readiness programs, financial education, focus groups, mentorship, mental health support, and dedicated re-entry services. Our mission is to break cycles of trauma and incarceration by equipping youth to rise with confidence, purpose, and the ability to create lasting change within their families and communities.

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